MPK Develops Material That Glows For 12 Years

The glow-in-the-dark paint gurus at the MPK Co. have developed a new material that will provide a constant light for 12 years with no power source (via Gizmodo). It's cheap (an 1/8" thick 8½: x 11" piece of plastic would cost 35 cents) and non-toxic. Judging from the picture, it's also a lovely shade of raver, TMNT-green.

You know what the problem with the sun is? After a while, it goes down, and that's just not convenient.

Fortunately, the glow-in-the-dark paint gurus at the MPK Co. have developed a new material that will provide a constant light for 12 years with no power source (via Gizmodo). It's cheap (an 1/8" thick 8½: x 11" piece of plastic would cost 35 cents) and non-toxic. Judging from the picture, it's also a lovely shade of raver, TMNT-green.

Which is appropriate enough, if you know your TMNT backstory, as this betavoltaic material uses a radioactive gas to produce this glow. MPK is calling the luminous micoparticles "Litrospheres," which, fortunately enough, can't penetrate through much. They can be injection molded or added to paint, and give off a 20-watt (in incandescent terms) glow. And despite our snarkiness about the green in the promo pics, they can give off light in any color.

First in line for this tech? Probably stuff like safety tape, life rafts, and safety markings. After that? Just about anything. Read more here.